The Secret in The Smile
by VanishRain
Summary: He had always said she would be the one to ask, but as the words slipped slowly from her frozen lips Seeley couldn't think of anything but all the times his heart had broken over a promise of eternity.
1. Repentance

Chapter One: Repentance

She had always thought his love would be the last missing piece of the puzzle known as her life; but as she watched the only proof of that love's existence run bounding up her front steps she knew it was nothing more an a fairytale. She had everything, even down to her prince charming, but as soon as it was within reach it had slipped from her grasp, leaving her with a constant reminder of what could have been.

"I… I love you." Brennan mumbled against her tear-drenched windowpane, "I… I… just…" She mumbled as the door swung open revealing the undeniable jet-black curls of a girl barely tall enough to reach the doorknob.

"Mommy!" the young child shrilled as she ran to Brennan, "You'll never guess where daddy took me today!"

"Where?" Brennan forced a smile as she looked adoringly at the only proof left of a love lost among late night cups of coffee and countless pieces of paper.

"The zoo!" The girl beamed. "The monkey's tried to steal daddy's hat and… and… mommy…"

"Yes, dear." Brennan smiled as she drew the child closer.

"Why are you so sad? Daddy said he would come back… he promised."

As she looked down on the child, Brennan couldn't help but let her heart shatter into a thousand pieces once more. A child all but five years old could see what her father had refused to believe for far too long. It did not matter what he had said or done, some fairytales were just never meant to come true.

"I know, Christine and we will be here waiting."

The child smiled at the false promise as she bounded in her room, assured that once again her family would be whole. As the door clicked behind the child, Brennan sighed as the tears began to trickle down her rosy cheeks.

"I just hope it happens before it is too late."

* * *

><p>"I know, Pops. I just… just…" Booth rambled, refusing to look upon the stern glare falling from his grandfather's steel eyes.<p>

"You froze Seeley. It happens to the best of us, but this bull you are trying to pull is doing nothing but destroying that little girl. This is not the man I raised you to be, Seeley. You broke a woman's heart, but that child has done nothing but love you."

"You taught me not to lie." He humbling tried to defend, "I… I just thought maybe she…" He rambled, tracing the cold outline of the letters before him.

"So loving her was a lie? All the years you spend head over heels in love with this woman were all just a figment of your imagination, is that what you are telling me?"

"No… I did love her…" Booth stammered with a hard swallow.

"You do boy, there is no denying it anymore. I have never seen a man so smitten with a woman in all my years. You love her; you love that little girl so you had better hope she can forgive you for all you have done. My little angel deserves it."

"What if she doesn't want me back?" Booth's voice cracked at the thought. Although he had spent the last few months building impenetrable walls around his heart, there was no sense in denying it now. He knew that the only friend he had left was before him. "I did break her heart."

"You did more than just break her heart. You broke the heart of a child that has done nothing but adore her father. By hurting Temperance, you have in-turn destroyed the bond a daughter has with her father. She sees everything you have put her mother through and how much pain you have caused. The only way to win back the love of your daughter is to win back her mother."

"She won't even look at me anymore, Pops. What if she…"

"This is the last thing your mother wanted from you, Seeley." Pops outstretched his palm against the fresh overturned soil, "Now go be the son she had always believed you were and win back the woman you were meant for. Do not let this be your fate as well."


	2. Forsaken Loyalties

Chapter Two: Forsaken Loyalties

He had never thought it would end like this; but there he stood with his hands in his pockets with nothing more than a sly line and a smile that could weaken the knees of any woman, any woman except the one whom only ever mattered. He knew there was nothing he could do to take away all the pain he had caused but at least now he knew he had tried.

As his hand rose to the large oak door, Booth could feel the winter winds down to his core. His hand rattled against the familiar wood as he tried to keep from shaking; after all, collapsing into a heap on her doorstep was not going to win back any hearts tonight.

"You." Brennan growled as she opened the door, engulfed by a smell she had grown to despise, "And I thought I wouldn't see you for another week."

As his eyes began to sting, Booth couldn't help but swallow his pride and accept his fate. He was the reason she was so cold and distant. He had created this monster and deep down he knew he would be the only one who could tame it.

"What did she forget now?" Brennan huffed as she pulled her robe tighter around her waist, "This child will…"

"B-Bones…" the once familiar word slowly rolled off Booth's lips as his hands dug deeper into his coat pockets, "It… It isn't about Chris… I just need to…" He swallowed as he tried to collect his thoughts, but as the alcohol began swirling around his emotions, he knew creating anything coherent would be damn near impossible.

"What?" Brennan barked as her eyes narrowed on the figment of a man she once knew, "What could you possibly say here that could not be said over the phone? How could standing out here in the freezing cold help…" She rambled as her eyes bore into his soul, catching the small glimpse of a broken man within. Even after all these years there were some things that he would never be able to hide even as hard as he tried.

And he deserved that pain, she internally nodded in agreement with her rational self. Every sleepless night and tear that flowed, he deserved it all and so much more. For he had broken her heart into a thousand unforgivable pieces with one simple question. Years of silence rushed upon Brennan's soul as she let a single tear drip down her rosy checks, landing upon the calming shoulder she once knew she once knew.

"I… I have an answer." Booth mumbled, holding back the tears flowing within. "I wanted to say it before but I just couldn't get the words out. I mean you looked so stunning in that dress and even though I knew what was under that dress I… I was stunned." Booth slurred as he leaned against the wrought iron railing, "I mean, damn Bones, you're fucking a ten. No, no. A twenty. You're off the damn scale."

All he could think about was those lush, rosy lips before him. Damn, he missed those lips. His eyes slowly etched the familiar outline. In his eyes, she would always be the perfect ten. Even after those years, the one thing his body desired was a kiss. A single kiss that would prove the once unlovable was worthy of a love undeniable.

"Booth!" Brennan's shrilled voice brought Booth back to his reality, "What do you think you are doing?"

"Sorry," The solemn man placed his hands on his lips as he jerked back in defense, "I just thought maybe you want wanted it as much as I did." Booth grinned, unable to keep the alcohol from swirling around his head.

"Seeley!" Brennan growled as she backed up against her door, "You left me four years ago without so much as an explanation. You left me at the fucking alter, Seeley. You cannot just walk back into our lives and pretend to be a family man now. You were not much of one then and you sure as hell are not one now. You are a cold, selfish asshole, Booth. I… I just don't give a damn anymore!" Brennan growled, trying to keep her emotions in check for the sake of her child. After all, Christine's stability was worth more to Brennan then any sensual release ever would be.

"Oh, okay… I see." Booth frowned as he turned to walk towards his car, "You don't love me anymore. I get it."

With a crack piercing the cool, dark night Brennan watched the once impenetrable force that was her former partner clench his chest and slide down her snow covered stairs; etching a thin crimson line in his wake.

"Booth!" Brennan shouted as she jumped toward the crimson street below, "Oh God. You're bleeding. You can't leave me now. God… baby… please…" Was all Booth could hear before his world went black.


End file.
